The present invention relates generally to electric vehicles, such as fuel cell vehicles, and hybrid-electric vehicles, and more particularly to coolant systems and methods of operating such coolant systems in these vehicles.
Advanced automotive vehicles are being introduced that employ fuel cells and hybrid-electric powertrains where there is no internal combustion engine or one that only operates intermittently during vehicle operation. In conventional vehicles, the internal combustion engine operates continuously, so the engine can be used not just to propel the vehicle, but as an ancillary power source, heat source, etc. for other vehicle systems. With some of the advanced automotive vehicles, then, alternative ways of efficiently providing the ancillary functions, while minimizing the cost, complexity, weight and packaging space are needed.